Needle.



T. W. MURPHY.

NEEDLE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. s, 1913.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

LRLRA.

THOMAS 21| t1 i 0F IPIERPON'T, SOUTH DAKOTA.

NEEDLE.

Specification ot Letters ratent.

Patented Mar. 9, Md.

Application led october 8, 1913. Serial No. 7M,070.

T0 all whom it may concern: f

Be it known that l, THOMAS W. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pierpont, in the county of Day and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Needles; and ll do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in needles, especially adapted for surgical and veterinary use; and to this end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1, is a erspective view of the improved needle; Fig. 2, is a perspective View of the head end of the improved needle, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, with the exception that some parts are sectioned on the line X8 X3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the head end of the improved needle showing the first step in securing a ligature thereto; Fig. 5, is a view corresponding to Fig. 4, but showing the step in applying a ligature through the needle; and Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the head end of the needle, with a ligature secured thereto ready for use.

The numeral l indicates the body of the improved needle having a tubular head end to afford a cavity 2. An eye 3, extends transversely through the head end of the needle at the bottom of the cavity 2. The head end of the needle is longitudinally split at 4 from its outer end through the eye 3, and part way into the body of the needle. Ratchet-teethlike serrations 5, are formed on the internal walls of the cavity 2, and extend from the outer end thereof to the eye 3. These serrations 3 assist in holding the ligature Z Within the cavity 2.

rlhe improved needle is threaded in the following manner One end of the ligature Z is inserted through the needle eye 3, as shown in Fig. 4. The short end of the ligature is then held firmly against the body of the needle, and the long end thereof pulled laterally, thereby springing the sections of the head end of the needle apart suciently to allow the ligature to enter the slit 4, as shown in Fig. 5, and to be drawn into the cavity 2 as shown in Fig. 6. The diameter of the ligature of course must be larger than the diameter of the cavity 2, so that the split sections of the needle head will not quite close but will yieldingly press on the said ligature, and thereby frictionally hold the same. Before the needle is used, the short end of the ligature which protrudes through the eye is cut od so that the approximal end of the ligature lies completely concealed within the cavity.

The construction of the improved needle does away entirely with the so-called shoulder, caused by doubling the thread where it passes through the eye in an ordinary needle. As the improved needle is of a larger diameter than the ligature, and holds the same in axial alinement, said ligature will not tear or-wound the most delicate tissue and can be drawn through the toughest tissue without any more traction than is required to draw the needle through. lt will save suffering when an anesthetic is not given, and this is true in all-operations upon dumb animals, and it is thought that it will greatly reduce stitch abscess.

What lf claim is 1. A needle, the head of which is longitudinally split to afford a pair of opposing spring sections, the inner faces of said sections being cut away transversely to the needle intermediate the ends of the slit, to afford an eye that is expansible and contractable with the movements of said sections, said sections outv'ard of said eye, being approximately semi-cylindrical in form.

2. A needle, the head of which is longitudinally split to afford a pair of opposing spring sections, the inner faces of said sections being cut away transversely to the needle intermediate the ends of the slit, to afford an eye that is expansible and contractable with the movements of said sections, said sections, outward of said eye, being approximately semi-cylindrical in form and 1nternally serrated.

ln testimony whereof ll aiiix my s1gna ture in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS W. MURPHY.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. JOHNSON, l-ll. G. RAFrnLsoN. 

